We are almost there. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is now just a month away. Time sure does fly.

In three weeks, most parties would start arriving. The participants of the various meetings such as civil society organisations, experts on various subject matters, government officials, delegates and journalists will start crowding little Samoa.

Are we ready? From what is being gathered there seems to be a disjoint. The right and left hands are not so much coordinated. For example, now there are talks of revising the road closures along the CHOGM Peninsula.

Understandably, the nation wants the delegates to be secure and safe at all times but plans for the roadblocks at this point do not seem to have been thought through properly. Instead of a full closure, how about closure during the times when delegates are required to move? Surely, different motorcades will not be zooming along the peninsula all day.

Give timings for full closures and the different delegations could plan their movement according to those times. Better still, close off one lane completely for the delegates and have the other lane for motorists.

The committee could also come up with a plan for one-way traffic movement along the roads. The road closures would be detrimental to businesses.

There is a likelihood that the Savalalo Bus Terminal could be closed and all traffic could be directed to Fugalei. How is this going to work? Is there a plan for entry and exit points so the streets do not become congested? There needs to be a plan for this.

While we do not promote the words on the grapevine, however, if there is a suggestion for a one-week national holiday, then that is most preposterous. Economic activity needs to continue. People need to go to work, businesses need to be operating and everything has to go on as normal.

A week-long holiday would be an economic suicide. As it is, major developments and works have taken the second spot behind CHOGM. The government has put CHOGM before its people and the people have gone along with that.

Do not do that again. Leaders have often used the phrase, “We need to work together to make CHOGM a success.” The people are willing to work together and are sacrificing a lot. In return, the government has not involved that many people in their different sub-committees to come up with the CHOGM plans.

The focus in October would be the CHOGM Peninsula and ensuring that all utilities including water and electricity are in working order. It is probable that if the need arises to shut off water and power in other areas to keep the CHOGM Peninsula going, there will be no hesitation. Were people consulted?

Were commuters and public transport providers included in the meetings about road closures? Were people talked to when the government decided that they would take most doctors and nurses out of the hospitals and place them at the CHOGM venues? Were people suffering from chronic diseases engaged when deciding that all special clinics would be closed for the CHOGM week?

Working together goes both ways. The government on its own deciding what is good for all is leaning towards authoritarianism.  A fine example is the restrictions imposed on the media. Hopefully, that will change and the media will be allowed to take their own photographs and do their interviews. All media coming to CHOGM have to be accredited as media and there will be no special privileges given as the restrictions stand.

One year ago, the government should have met with all farmers and given a list of produce that could be grown locally and would be used at CHOGM, instead, there will be eight districts part of the First Harvest showcasing the usual yield. We are once again going to be reliant on imported food. Just last week, all suppliers were reminded to stock up.

This should have been planned months ago and extra shipments arranged to accommodate for food and other supplies.

There is still time to work together and pull off a successful CHOGM. The people want to and they will do their best. But do not put their needs as secondary, they are the ones who will remain after CHOGM.

In its true sense, let us all work together.